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Advances in molecular function of UPF1 in Cancer

Gazmend Temaj1, Silvia Chichiarelli2, Pelin Telkoparan-Akillilar3

  • 1Faculty of Pharmacy, College UBT, 10000, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.

Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
|April 15, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The study highlights the role of the UPF1 protein in regulating mRNA decay and cancer progression. Aberrant UPF1 expression and its interaction with long non-coding RNAs are crucial for cancer cell growth and potential therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Over 10% of genetic diseases stem from premature termination codons (PTCs) in mRNA.
  • Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) degrades PTC-containing mRNA, preventing truncated protein synthesis.
  • UPF1 is a key regulator of NMD and its expression is linked to cancer prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of UPF1's aberrant expression in cancer.
  • To explore UPF1's functional properties and molecular roles in tumorigenesis.
  • To discuss UPF1's potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of UPF1's role in cancer.
  • Analysis of UPF1's involvement in NMD and protein degradation pathways.
  • Examination of UPF1 interactions with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs).

Main Results:

  • UPF1 dysregulation is observed in various cancers, correlating with poor prognosis.
  • UPF1 acts as a master regulator of NMD and may function as an E3 ligase.
  • lncRNAs interact with UPF1, influencing cell growth and tumorigenesis.

Conclusions:

  • UPF1 is a promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
  • Understanding UPF1's molecular mechanisms and lncRNA interactions can lead to novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Targeting UPF1 pathways offers potential for future cancer therapies.
Keywords:
CancerLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)Up-frameshift-1 (UPF1)

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